The border notion in the last years has been imposed as a political phenomenon and a realistic barrier in communication, travels, and political processes but also in literary and cultural exchange. During summer 2011, a political crisis broke out in border check-points in Jarinje and Brnjak and all the same, the unsuccessful negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade entered into a new phase of crisis. Despite that, in the last two years, the alternative literary groups from these centers conducted a whole series of sessions, tribunes and presentations of anthologies that were published as the first mutual translations after almost four decades of absence and after no wish whatsoever of transcending these imposed borders in communication. polip is of international character and its topic will be the deconstruction of the notion border, the transcending of blockades within ourselves, the one which is more difficult to deconstruct then those which in the last months poped up on roads and bridges. polip will bring together authors from the Balkans, Albania, Turkey and Germany.

International literature festival polip 2012 goes far beyond the frame of a literature festival and of a mere literary connection. It is about a wider understanding of the peace building and trust concepts in a particularly traumatized region and societies that agreed to separately live and heal their own traumas without an attempt to elaborate the traumatic past and without empathy for the Other.

In this case, the field of literature should be understood as a basic zone of mutual communication which will enable the process of conflict transformation in the region. It is obvious that the political negotiations are limited and that there is no capacity to overcome borders (physical and personal ones) in communication and in problem resolution.

polip 2012 with its very concepts contains elements of action towards conflict transformation and trust building. The consent of authors to gather in this kind of festival is not only a literary event but also a responsible participation in a project that is being realized despite the radical tightness of communities from which authors come – Serbia/Kosovo. The presence of other authors from the region contextualizes the whole process and frames it in a wider social context. Translations of texts, publication of Beton in Albanian, public readings and roundtables on the topic of dealing with the past represent a significant step towards strategic construction of trust and peace. polip Festival is a second step in this direction. The first one was the publication of two anthologies of contemporary literature from Kosovo and Serbia. The aim of this process is to penetrate to local society and its institutions, first through cultural centers, and then through libraries and schools. In order for that to happen, it is essential to have translated texts as well as authors who are willing to participate in those projects, at the same time risking their status back home. And that is already a priceless output.

As well as readings, there will be a multifaceted polip special programme with concerts, street poetry, workshops, discussions and debates over:

The status of independent intellectual in Kosovo and Serbia societies

Remembrance and Literature

Subversive literary practices in the surroundings of rigid politics

For further information check our blog and have a look at the photo-gallery.